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> Hollywood
Diana: The Musical Review: Princess Diana & Prince Charles' doomed marriage gets an uneven pop rock treatment
Diana: The Musical, the pro-shot Broadway show makes its streaming debut and it's a tale of monarchy told with a rock twist starring Jeanna de Waal and more.
Written by Surabhi Redkar | Updated on Oct 02, 2021 | 12:36 AM IST | 100K
Diana: The Musical releases on Netflix on October 1
Diana: The Musical
Diana: The Musical Cast: Jeanna de Waal, Roe Hartrampf, Judy Kaye
Diana: The Musical Director: Christopher Ashley
Diana: The Musical Stars: 3/5
We live in a time when broadway shows are now coming to streaming platforms and while I danced with joy when it came true for Hamilton, it may not be the same for other shows. Sure, I understand that the charm of a Broadway musical lies in its live presentation but with the pandemic putting a dampener on most joys that can be experienced outdoors, we must settle for Broadway streamings too. As for Netflix's latest offering, Diana: The Musical, the Christopher Ashley directorial that was pro-shot ahead of its opening night is the latest addition to the dearth of content that revolves around late Princess Diana.
The British Royal family has been the subject of several films, TV shows and web series over the years and Broadway shows too, so it almost feels like what new could another addition offer. Ashley's Diana: The Musical is written by Joe DiPietro and set to a unique pop rock or glam rock score by Bon Jovi's David Bryan who turns composer and lyricist for the show. Diana: The Musical centers around Princess Diana's fairytale wedding-turned-nightmare in the Royal family and offers no new insights to the rather famous, cautionary tale about making fantasies come true.
The musical takes off from Diana (Jeanna de Waal) discussing with her sister Sarah whom once Prince Charles (Roe Hartrampf) courted about the latter taking a liking to her. Jeanna's Diana is carved out to be the commoner with "Charlie boy" posters in her room. The Prince of Wales (Hartrampf), on the other hand, is busy taking notes from his "friend" Camilla Parker Bowles (Erin Davie) on whether Diana is the right fit for him. What follows is the tale known to all as the musical chronicles Diana and Charles' wedding, the birth of their sons Harry and William and their eventual divorce. All the key moments are served on high notes until the tragic climax hits with flickering lights.
With ample books, movies, and other pop culture items already available about the persona that Princess Diana was, the new musical seems like an on-the-surface, cliche work. Sure, there's no new phenomenon to offer in a story that has been retold ample of times but unfortunately, it seems like the musical doesn't do much justice to the very person under whose very name it has been titled. While it ticks all the boxes when it comes to showcasing Diana's major moments from her social work to her famous quotes, it lacks the depth to make us feel her angst, her depressive state, her claustrophobic state in the structured and at the same time fractured monarchy. Unfortunately, her breathless state inside the tall walls of Buckingham Palace isn't conveyed well using the set design either which could have been more impactful.
While the focus remains on Diana (de Waal) and Charles (Hartrampf), there's little light shed on the monarch, Queen Elizabeth (Judy Kaye) whose most significant moment in the musical comes towards the end in an absolutely lovely score of "The Officer's wife." Another number that's catchy and will hold your attention is the paparazzi number "Snap, Click," though the trench coat costumes seem a bit of an obvious choice to make them look like sketchy figures. Overall, the costumes apart from Diana's iconic looks, seem caricaturish rather than being natural to the era the show is set in.
To name a favourite bit from the show would be the moment when Diana and Charles enjoy an evening of Cello. It's here that we meet Diana, as the 19-year-old, soon-to-be royal, who in her mind plays rock tracks and hopes that she'll one day turn Charles into a hip guy who doesn't listen to music from "dead white men."
After Emma Corrins' much-applauded performance in The Crown and Kristen Stewart's early reviews about owing Princess Diana's character, Jeanna de Waal faces tough competition to bring to life one of the most loved royals. As the People's Princess, de Waal channels the head-tilts and dazzling smile of Diana well enough. She showcases her beautiful vocal range impressively too. As for Roe Hartrampf's Charles, the endearingly handsome actor fits the part of the jealous prince. Tony Awardee Judy Kaye doubles as Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana's step-grandmother and author Barbara Cartland seems underused for her talents.
ALSO READ: Spencer Trailer RELEASED: Kristen Stewart perfectly portrays tortured Princess Diana; WATCH
David Bryan's score remains catchy and the lyrics while at times corny do leave you with a chuckle or two. There's wordplay like the "Bloody mess/British press" in songs that sounds undeniably banal but it does fit into the pop-rock beats well. The climactic song of "If (Light of the World)" by Jeanna de Waal is impactful and her exit amid the flickering flashlights hinting at the paparazzi involvement during her tragic death, makes for a fitting end to the unsavoury tale.
All in all, Diana: The Musical feels like a long two-hour ride but will still hold interest for those who have a liking towards consuming all kinds of content there is related to Lady Di. While a decent watch for streaming, it surely doesn't guarantee to be a memorable watch for Broadway fans.
Surabhi Redkar
A writer with 6 years of experience, addicted to coffee, films, and sarcasm. Currently exploring all things Hollywood..., from movies to TV shows in a never-ending loop of watching stuff and writing about it. Movie trivia is my thing.
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It's been almost a year now that I have ditched non-vegetarian, and this change was just out of my personal preference. Lately, I have felt the need to make more drastic diet changes for my overall well being. I have decided to try Veganism. And I say try cause I am pretty sure turning Vegan is going to be a long and demanding process for a food lover like me (and I think I speak for most of my fellow Indians when I say this). After all, I have grown up drinking milk, having "aloo paratha" with butter on top and buttermilk on the side as the breakfast staple and cherishing paneer in all forms and oh honey!
Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products, particularly in diet, and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. There are many ways to embrace vegan living. Yet one thing all vegans have in common is a plant-based diet avoiding all animal foods such as meat (including fish, shellfish and insects), dairy, eggs, and honey. Vegan diets are based on grains and other seeds, legumes (particularly beans), fruits, vegetables, edible mushrooms, soybean(tofu) and nuts. There are several philosophies behind veganism, ethical, environmental, religious that you can read about to gain more insights.
The most difficult would be letting go of my love for Masala Chai.
Aerated Drinks and my occasional alcohol at parties.
While ditching meat came easily as I never loved it, the choices to be made for turning Vegan are gonna be harder but totally worth it. I am going to take one step at a time and ditch the foods slowly or else it could all get too overwhelming. Do let me know if you have any tips for a newbie Vegan that could make my transition a tad bit easier in the comments below. And I will keep you posted as and when there are any remarkable changes or learnings in the process. See you soon.
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Articles by The Economist's U.S. Economics Editor
Media, speeches, etc.
Here I am speaking to Xavier University in Cincinnati, about the economic outlook in the fall of 2012.
I regularly appear on TV, although I am no longer updating this list.
May 21, 2010: On the PBS Newshour I discuss financial regulatory reform.
Jan. 22, 2010: Madeleine Brand of NPR's All Things Considered talks to me about Obama's plan to ban banks' proprietary trading.
Jan. 15, 2010: On C-Span's Washington Journal I talk about taxing banks, TARP and the economy.
Nov. 1, 2009: On C-Span's Washington Journal, I discuss the economy, the recovery, and the role of stimulus in pulling us out.
Oct. 30, 2009, 2009: The economy, the GDP numbers and stimulus were one of the topics on this week's segment of Washington Week with Gwen Ifill.
Oct. 22, 2009: The Diane Rehm show discussed how we failed to regulate over-the-counter derivatives a decade ago and what is happening with derivatives regulation now. Listen to the show here.
On Oct. 20 I joined a panel discussion sponsored by the New America Foundation in Washington D.C. discussing "The Jobs Deficit." The video can be viewed here. My presentation begins at 32:00. You can view the slideshow here.
Oct. 9, 2009: Vincent Reinhart of the American Enterprise Institute invited me to comment on his paper, The Origin, Propagation, and Magnification of the Financial Crisis. An updated version of my presentation is available on the main blog.
On Sept. 18 I was a panelist on Washington Week in Review, discussing the economy. The segment is here.
On Sept. 18 I participated in a weekly new roundup on the Diane Rehm show.
On July 21, 2009, I explained Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's comments about the economy, inflation, Fed independence and his exit strategy from unconventional monetary policy. It's on the Newshour with Jim Lehrer.
Here is an audio interview I conducted on July 13 with Rep. Ron Paul of Texas on his bill to audit the Federal Reserve.
On June 5 I joined a panel on Washington Week with Gwen Ifill to discuss the the bankruptcy of General Motors.
On May 5, 2009 I appeared on the Newshour with Jim Lehrer and discussed signs of economic recovery with Newshour correspondent Jeff Brown and analyst Hugh Johnson.
On March 24, 2009, Frontline aired its documentary on the national debt, "Ten trillion and counting," including some commentary from me.
I interviewed Felix Rohatyn about his book, "Bold Endeavors," for BookTv's Afterwords on C-Span on March 21, 2009.
On Feb. 24, 2009 I talked about the meaning of bank nationalization on NPR's All Things Considered.
I discussed the fiscal stimlus package on NPR's Diane Rehm show, Feb. 9, 2009. Listen to the Real Audio version. Listen to the Windows Media version.
On Feb. 2, Jeffrey Brown of the Newshour with Jim Lehrer talked to David Leonhardt of the New York Times and me about the effectivness of the proposed fiscal stimulus. The transcript is here.
On Jan. 30 I appeared on Washington Week in Review to discuss the politics of the fiscal stimulus package.
On Jan. 11, 2009 I was a guest on C-Span's Washington Journal to discuss fiscal policy and the national debt.
On Sept. 23 I moderated a panel discussion on the housing and financial crisis for the Brookings Institution. On the panel were Harvard University's Lawrence Summers, FDIC Chairman Sheila Bair, and Eric Mindich, president of hedge fund Eton Park. View the C-Span video here. The uncorrected transcript is here.
Written by gregip
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Q: Charge particle collisions If a lithium $\mathrm{Li^+}$ cation falls toward a fluorine $\mathrm{F^-}$ anion slowly in vacuum, can they find a stable 'orbital'?
If not an 'orbital' will they form some kind of stable two-body linear oscillator?

A: It seems that lithium fluoride exists, so the answer is yes, if the energy of scattering falls within a bound energy level:

Lithium fluoride is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula LiF. It is a colorless solid, that transitions to white with decreasing crystal size.

Molecules are characterized by orbitals  electron orbitals, . I suppose that in principle one could define a lithium orbital and a fluoride orbital, just a change of the quantum mechanical functions, because the electron orbitals   simulate atoms, since the nucleus is in a very small volume of the atom. The models have to be more complicated than simple oscillators.

Complete acetylene (H–C≡C–H) molecular orbital set. The left column shows MO's which are occupied in the ground state, with the lowest-energy orbital at the top. The white and grey line visible in some MO's is the molecular axis passing through the nuclei. The orbital wave functions are positive in the red regions and negative in the blue. The right column shows virtual MO's which are empty in the ground state, but may be occupied in excited states.

So models do exist for atoms bound in molecules.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Chamber Series
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Songs for the Spirit
Recordings for Sale
Lorraine Hunt Lieberson — Bach: Cantata BWV 170
Winsor Music is pleased to release a private, archival recording of the late mezzo-soprano Lorraine Hunt Lieberson performing Bach's Cantata BWV 170 with Peggy Pearson and the Greenleaf Chamber Players, never before available to the public. All proceeds from the sale of this recording will go directly into Winsor Music's educational programs. Available as an MP3 download and a CD.
CD — Bach: Cantata BWV 170 — Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, mezzo-soprano
MP3 — Bach: Cantata BWV 170 — Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, mezzo-soprano
Get Text and Translation
The High Notes Of Classical Music In 2014
Winsor Music's Artistic Director Peggy Pearson was a longtime friend and colleague of the late, great mezzo-soprano Lorraine Hunt Lieberson. In 1996, she invited Ms. Lieberson to perform Bach's Cantata BWV 170 ("Vergnügte Ruh', beliebte Seelenlust") with the Greenleaf Chamber Players. The performance was recorded, but that recording was never released to the public. Ms. Lieberson passed away in 2006 at the too-young age of 52, and this year, with permission from the Lieberson estate, Ms. Pearson decided to release the private recording from 1996. The estate and the Greenleaf musicians are graciously allowing us to donate all proceeds from sales of this recording to the Winsor Music education program.
Peggy Pearson and John Harbison Pay Tribute to Lorraine Hunt Lieberson
We absolutely love this interview: it's a chance to hear John Harbison and Peggy Pearson in conversation, a masterclass on the hard work and intentional craft of singing, an insightful analysis of Cantata 170, and a beautiful and thoughtful tribute to Lorraine, both as a musician and a person.
Peggy Pearson and John Harbison discuss Lorraine Hunt Lieberson and Bach Cantata 170 with host Brian McCreath as part of The Bach Hour.
Originally aired on 99.5 WCRB on July 12, 2015.
Winsor Music | info@winsormusic.org | 781-863-2861 | 312 Waltham Street, Lexington, MA 02421


Dr. Ian DeRoock joined Ironwood Cancer & Research Centers in 2009 after completing a residency in Internal Medicine followed by a fellowship in Hematology and Oncology at the University of California at Davis. He is a first-generation Panamanian-American fluent in both English and Spanish. He previously earned his medical degree at the University of Arizona. Dr. DeRoock is board certified in Internal Medicine, Hematology and Medical Oncology.
He has been active in developing clinical trials for pancreatic cancer and lymphoma and has presented his research findings at the American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting as well as the Annual Pan-Pacific Lymphoma Conference. He specializes in all adult cancers and hematologic disorders.
Read more about Dr. DeRoock here.
Dr. DeRoock is fluent in English and Spanish and accepts patients at our Gilbert and Casa Grande locations.


How do you create a sales funnel for your Montessori school? In this post, we'll discuss how to implement an automated strategy to drive enrollment.
Why is Facebook Marketing for Montessori Schools so Important?
Should you add more enrichment or extracurricular programs to your school? Absolutely! Learn how after-school or summer programs can boost enrollment.
Need help increasing your school's tuition rate? This easy-to-follow guide will help.
Would you like to attract larger families to your Montessori school? Learn how to get large families to join you.


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package gwt.material.design.client.ui;

import gwt.material.design.client.base.MaterialWidget;

import com.google.gwt.dom.client.Document;
import com.google.gwt.dom.client.Element;
import com.google.gwt.user.client.ui.Widget;

//@formatter:off
/**
* Card Element for card image.
* @author kevzlou7979
* @author Ben Dol
* @see Material Cards
*/
//@formatter:on
public class MaterialCardImage extends MaterialWidget {

    public MaterialCardImage(){
        super(Document.get().createDivElement(), "card-image");
    }

    /**
     * {@inheritDoc}
     */
    @Override
    public void add(final Widget child) {
        if(child instanceof MaterialImage) {
            child.addStyleName("activator");
        }
        add(child, (Element) getElement());
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Japanese knives are famous for being sharp and for their long lasting quality. We have a wide variety of Japanese knives for all of your restaurant or catering needs. The blades are made from strong and durable stainless steel and have a sharp angled tip. Thanks to the materials and the construction techniques used in their manufacture, Japanese blades hold their sharpness for a long time. Most of our knives have a balanced wooded handle that makes using them easy and safe. Perfect for preparing vegetables and meat, you'll find Japanese knives an indespensible part of your kitchen cutlery.


We at CF Commercial were pleased to stumble upon this article on SheerLuxe singing the praises of the E20 postcode. We have been a big advocate of the area ever since the London 2012 Olympic Games and it is great that its potential is now being realised.
Three particular highlights of the article from our point of view were the features on Tina We Salute You, Bottle Apostle and Signorelli – all lettings that CF Commercial and joint agents CWM have agreed at East Village.
There is still a huge amount to look forward to in E20 with a number of exciting development projects underway. CF Commercial is currently advising on the following projects in the QEOP: Delancey's 'Here East', Taylor Wimpey's 'Chobham Manor', Lend Lease's 'The Stitch' and LLDC's 'Olympicopolis'.


We know that the cost of care can be confusing. In addition to offering payment options to fit your budget, we can also give you an estimated out of pocket cost on your treatment ahead of time. We are in-network with a variety of insurance plans, and we accept various forms of payment. We are happy to help you navigate your dental insurance and alternative payment options.
We know that your time is valuable to you, and that's why we offer dental appointment reminders via phone call, text and/or email and a quick turnaround time on calls and appointment requests. We are happy to answer any questions or concerns in the office, over the phone or via email.
At Weston Dental PC, we are qualified to handle all aspects of your care, so you are always surrounded by people that you trust. If we must refer out, we promise to send you to carefully vetted colleagues who apply the same professional principles in their office that we do in ours.
We respect and understand that many patients experience dental anxiety. At our office, we do everything we can to make sure that your experience is as enjoyable as possible. By communicating clearly what you can expect during your treatment, we are often able to alleviate dental fear. We encourage you to bring headphones and music to listen to during your treatment and ask us about other options for your comfort.
Give us a call today at West Des Moines Office Phone Number 515-222-1852! You'll be happy you chose us for your dental needs!


Last week, another story of a young person who died by suicide made headlines. As with the majority of articles covering youth suicides over the last decade, the story heavily focused on the role bullying may have played in precipitating the young girl's death. While bullying could certainly have been a factor in this case (as an outside observer lacking all the facts, I can't comment on this specific case), the same cannot be said about many incidents of youth suicide. Schools' bullying prevention efforts are critically important. However, the continued narrative that youth suicide is caused by bullying may divert schools' focus from solutions that would target more prevalent risk factors for suicide.
We cannot prevent all incidents of youth suicide by only focusing on bullying. Instead, we must target the many potential risk factors involved. For many schools, this might seem like a daunting task considering the variety of potential issues involved– from bullying to school discipline, to mental and physical health supports, to family engagement. These issues, however, are interconnected.


The best dose of radiation to be given with bevacizumab is currently unknown. This study will use higher doses of radiation with bevacizumab than have been used before. This study will test the safety of radiation given at different doses with bevacizumab to find out what effects, good and/or bad, it has on the patient and the malignant glioma or related brain cancers.
This is an adaptive design, randomized controlled, Phase 3 clinical trial in patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) or gliosarcoma (GS), previously treated with surgery (if appropriate), standard of care chemo-radiation with temozolomide, +/- adjuvant temozolomide, and bevacizumab and now has progressive disease during or after bevacizumab. A total of up to 180 eligible patients with recurrent/progressive GBM or GS will be randomized to receive either the investigational drug (VAL-083) or "Investigator's choice of salvage therapy" as a contemporaneous control, in a 2:1 fashion. Up to 120 eligible patients will be randomized to receive VAL-083 at 40 mg/m2 IV on days 1, 2, and 3 of a 21-day treatment-cycle, for up to 12, 21-day treatment cycles or until they fulfill one of the criteria for study discontinuation. Up to 60 patients will be randomized to receive "Investigator's choice of salvage therapy", limited to temozolomide, lomustine, or carboplatin, until they fulfill one of the criteria for study discontinuation. The dose level for Investigator's choice salvage therapy (temozolomide, lomustine, or carboplatin), will be in accordance with the product label or institutional guidelines. In both study arms, interval medical histories, targeted physical exams, neurologic evaluations, complete blood counts, and other laboratory and safety assessments will be performed approximately every 21-days while receiving treatment. Tumor assessments are to be performed approximately every 42 ± 7 days while remaining on study. The study is estimated to last approximately 20 months.


Not too long ago we had the family over for a preseason football party. Our team, the Green Bay Packers, was playing that night, and everyone was really excited to see them win the game. I personally do not know if I was more excited for the game, or for what I was about to serve up the guests. After a week long deliberation, and several conversations with one of my coworkers, I decided to make a Mexican chili.
Chili is one of those one pot meals that is perfect for any occasion, however, I wanted to steer away from my traditional game time chili, and offer up something that would really surprise everyone, and boy did it ever. This recipe starts as most chili recipes do, however adding a few extra ingredients and spices really, I think, made this one of the better chili recipes I have made in some time.
Begin by prepping all of your ingredients. On medium to high heat, add a large stock pot to the stove, and toss in your oil. Let this heat up for a minute or two, then toss in all of your meat. The goal is to brown your meat nicely. Once the meat is browned, cover, and pour off any of the fat, then return it back to the stove top. Toss in your onions and garlic, and cook for a few minutes.
Next toss in all of your seasonings, and give a good mix, cooking an additional few minutes.
Now is the time to add in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and water, giving it a good stir, and letting it come to a boil. Next, add in the beans, chipotle peppers, and the corn. Give a good stir, cover, and reduce the heat to low, cooking for at least a good hour before serving. I typically let it cook for a couple of hours on low so all of the flavors merry, and letting the beans and meat get nice and tender.
Every bite of this chili is just loaded with great flavor, and texture. The addition of corn, and chipotle peppers, just gave a great balance of heat that balanced nicely with the creaminess of the beans. If you want to top the chili with a bit of cheese and crushed tortilla chips, go right ahead, as that is what makes eating chili fun. If you are looking for new chili recipe, this one is a definite must make. Hope you enjoy.
Howdy**Found your website thru Tasty Kitchen. Your Mexican Chili looks fabulous. And since I am in charge of feeding 80 teenagers for a SuperBowl party at my Church I was looking at your Superbowl food. I also am a Packer's Fan, Soooo exciting. Do you have any suggestions on what to do with a smoked brisket for these teenagers? I was thinking maybe sliders, but not sure.


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Tag: West Africa
Fidel Castro Challenges President Obama's Call To Forget the Past
On March 28, Fidel Castro published a lengthy commentary on President Obama's recent trip to Cuba In the Spanish-language original edition of Granma, the official newspaper of the Cuban Communist Party. Here is the complete commentary from Granma's English translation of those comments followed by my reactions.[1]
Fidel's Commentary
"The kings of Spain brought us the conquistadores and masters, whose footprints remained in the circular land grants assigned to those searching for gold in the sands of rivers, an abusive and shameful form of exploitation, traces of which can be noted from the air in many places around the country."
"Tourism today, in large part, consists of viewing the delights of our landscapes and tasting exquisite delicacies from our seas, and is always shared with the private capital of large foreign corporations, whose earnings, if they don't reach billions of dollars, are not worthy of any attention whatsoever."
"Since I find myself obliged to mention the issue, I must add – principally for the youth – that few people are aware of the importance of such a condition, in this singular moment of human history. I would not say that time has been lost, but I do not hesitate to affirm that we are not adequately informed, not you, nor us, of the knowledge and conscience that we must have to confront the realities which challenge us. The first to be taken into consideration is that our lives are but a fraction of a historical second, which must also be devoted in part to the vital necessities of every human being. One of the characteristics of this condition is the tendency to overvalue its role, in contrast, on the other hand, with the extraordinary number of persons who embody the loftiest dreams."
"Nevertheless, no one is good or bad entirely on their own. None of us is designed for the role we must assume in a revolutionary society, although Cubans had the privilege of José Martí's example. I even ask myself if he needed to die or not in Dos Ríos, when he said, "For me, it's time," and charged the Spanish forces entrenched in a solid line of firepower. He did not want to return to the United States, and there was no one who could make him. Someone ripped some pages from his diary. Who bears this treacherous responsibility, undoubtedly the work of an unscrupulous conspirator? Differences between the leaders were well known, but never indiscipline. "Whoever attempts to appropriate Cuba will reap only the dust of its soil drenched in blood, if he does not perish in the struggle," stated the glorious Black leader Antonio Maceo. Máximo Gómez is likewise recognized as the most disciplined and discreet military chief in our history."
"Looking at it from another angle, how can we not admire the indignation of Bonifacio Byrne when, from a distant boat returning him to Cuba, he saw another flag alongside that of the single star and declared, "My flag is that which has never been mercenary…" immediately adding one of the most beautiful phrases I have ever heard, "If it is torn to shreds, it will be my flag one day… our dead raising their arms will still be able to defend it!" Nor will I forget the blistering words of Camilo Cienfuegos that night, when, just some tens of meters away, bazookas and machine guns of U.S. origin in the hands of counterrevolutionaries were pointed toward that terrace on which we stood."
"Obama was born in August of 1961, as he himself explained. More than half a century has transpired since that time."
"Let us see, however, how our illustrious guest thinks today:"
"I have come here to bury the last remnant of the Cold War in the Americas. I have come here to extend the hand of friendship to the Cuban people," followed by a deluge of concepts entirely novel for the majority of us:
"We both live in a new world, colonized by Europeans," the U.S. President continued, "Cuba, like the United States, was built in part by slaves brought here from Africa. Like the United States, the Cuban people can trace their heritage to both slaves and slave-owners."
"The native populations don't exist at all in Obama's mind. Nor does he say that the Revolution swept away racial discrimination, or that pensions and salaries for all Cubans were decreed by it before Mr. Barrack Obama was 10 years old. The hateful, racist bourgeois custom of hiring strongmen to expel Black citizens from recreational centers was swept away by the Cuban Revolution – that which would go down in history for the battle against apartheid that liberated Angola, putting an end to the presence of nuclear weapons on a continent of more than a billion inhabitants. This was not the objective of our solidarity, but rather to help the peoples of Angola, Mozambique, Guinea Bissau and others under the fascist colonial domination of Portugal."
"In 1961, just one year and three months after the triumph of the Revolution, a mercenary force with armored artillery and infantry, backed by aircraft, trained and accompanied by U.S. warships and aircraft carriers, attacked our country by surprise. Nothing can justify that perfidious attack which cost our country hundreds of losses, including deaths and injuries
As for the pro-yankee assault brigade, no evidence exists anywhere that it was possible to evacuate a single mercenary. Yankee combat planes were presented before the United Nations as the equipment of a Cuban uprising."
"The military experience and power of this country is very well known. In Africa, they likewise believed that revolutionary Cuba would be easily taken out of the fight. The invasion via southern Angola by racist South African motorized brigades got close to Luanda, the capital in the eastern part of the country. There a struggle began which went on for no less than 15 years. I wouldn't even talk about this, if I didn't have the elemental duty to respond to Obama's speech in Havana's Alicia Alonso Grand Theater.
Nor will I attempt to give details, only emphasize that an honorable chapter in the struggle for human liberation was written there. In a certain way, I hoped Obama's behavior would be correct. His humble origin and natural intelligence were evident. Mandela was imprisoned for life and had become a giant in the struggle for human dignity. One day, a copy of a book narrating part of Mandela's life reached my hands, and – surprise! – the prologue was by Barack Obama. I rapidly skimmed the pages. The miniscule size of Mandela's handwriting noting facts was incredible. Knowing men such as him was worthwhile."
?Regarding the episode in South Africa I must point out another experience. I was really interested in learning more about how the South Africans had acquired nuclear weapons. I only had very precise information that there were no more than 10 or 12 bombs. A reliable source was the professor and researcher Piero Gleijeses, who had written the text Conflicting Missions: Havana, Washington, and Africa, 1959-1976, an excellent piece. I knew he was the most reliable source on what had happened and I told him so; he responded that he had not spoken more about the matter as in the text he had responded to questions from compañero Jorge Risquet, who had been Cuban ambassador and collaborator in Angola, a very good friend of his. I located Risquet; already undertaking other important tasks he was finishing a course which would last several weeks longer. That task coincided with a fairly recent visit by Piero to our country; I had warned him that Risquet was getting on and his health was not great. A few days later what I had feared occurred. Risquet deteriorated and died. When Piero arrived there was nothing to do except make promises, but I had already received information related to the weapons and the assistance that racist South Africa had received from Reagan and Israel."
'I do not know what Obama would have to say about this story now. I am unaware as to what he did or did not know, although it is very unlikely that he knew absolutely nothing. My modest suggestion is that he gives it thought and does not attempt now to elaborate theories on Cuban policy.'
"T'here is an important issue:'
'Obama made a speech in which he uses the most sweetened words to express: "It is time, now, to forget the past, leave the past behind, let us look to the future together, a future of hope. And it won't be easy, there will be challenges and we must give it time; but my stay here gives me more hope in what we can do together as friends, as family, as neighbors, together."'
'I suppose all of us were at risk of a heart attack upon hearing these words from the President of the United States. After a ruthless blockade that has lasted almost 60 years, and what about those who have died in the mercenary attacks on Cuban ships and ports, an airliner full of passengers blown up in midair, mercenary invasions, multiple acts of violence and coercion?'
'Nobody should be under the illusion that the people of this dignified and selfless country will renounce the glory, the rights, or the spiritual wealth they have gained with the development of education, science and culture.'
'I also warn that we are capable of producing the food and material riches we need with the efforts and intelligence of our people. We do not need the empire to give us anything. Our efforts will be legal and peaceful, as this is our commitment to peace."
Reactions to Fidel's Commentary
Castro criticizes the U.S. support for the invasion of Cuba at the Bay of Pigs in 1961 and other actions against Cuba. But Obama in his speech mentioned some of these actions and implicitly apologized for them by saying, "I have come here to bury the last remnant of the Cold War in the Americas."
Another assertion by Fidel was the Cuban "Revolution swept away racial discrimination" and Obama failed to recognize that accomplishment. Yes, it is true that Obama did not make such a statement, and instead said that both countries need "to reduce discrimination based on race in our own countries." Moreover, as a prior post noted, many believe that Cuba still faced problems of racial bias despite the Revolution's accomplishments on the issue.
Fidel also had a lot to say about Cuba's involvement in helping the Angolans to combat South African apartheid regime and Obama's failure to acknowledge those efforts. Yes, Obama did not discuss those issues, but his purpose was not to discuss everything that Cuba has done. Obama, however, did commend Cuba for "the service that thousands of Cuban doctors have delivered for the poor and suffering" around the world, including their work "to save lives and stamp out Ebola in West Africa" while working "side-by-side" with the U.S. health-care workers and military.
More generally Fidel seems upset with Obama's "sweetened words to leave the past behind" and "to look forward to the future together" and thereby ignore the accomplishments of the Cuban Revolution. But Obama did acknowledge respect for Cuba's "sovereignty" and "self-determination" and "system of education that values every boy and girl" as well as "the talent, hard work, and pride of the Cuban people." Obama also respectfully raised up Cuban artists (Celia Cruz, Gloria Estefan), food (ropa vieja), dance (Cha-cha-Cha and Salsa), customs (patriotism, sense of pride, love of family and passion for their children) and religion (Lady of Charity).
Other comments by Fidel, in my opinion, are snipings about "large foreign corporations" obtaining some of the profits from increased tourism in Cuba and about his country's alleged ability "of producing the food and material riches we need with the efforts and intelligence of our people" and not needing "the empire to give us anything." Yet increased tourism has exacerbated shortages of food and increased prices for food to the detriment of ordinary Cubans.
Overall Fidel's commentary sounds like the angry ramblings of an old man who is upset that he apparently is being excluded from important events in his country and that Obama reportedly refused to schedule a meeting with him.
[1] Fidel Castro, Brother Obama, Granma (Mar. 28, 2016); Assoc. Press, Fidel Castro to Obama: We Don't Need Your 'Presents,' N.Y. Times (Mar. 28, 2016); Reuters, Cuba's Fidel Castro Slams Obama Following Historic Visit, N.Y. Times (Mar. 28, 2016). Obama's speech and the reactions to the speech were subjects of prior posts.
Posted on March 28, 2016 Categories Economics, History, Other countries, PoliticsTags Bay of Pigs, Cuba, Cuba Revolution, ebola, Fidel Castro, food for Cubans, President Barack Obama, racial discrimination, United States of America (USA), West Africa1 Comment on Fidel Castro Challenges President Obama's Call To Forget the Past
Another U.S. Citizenship Naturalization Ceremony
As noted in prior posts, the final step for someone to become a naturalized U.S. citizen is to attend a ceremony in which the individual takes an oath of allegiance to the United States of America and officially is declared to be a U.S. citizen. This is after such an individual meets the requirements of U.S. law through submission of an application with various aspects of personal information and an interview for vetting that information [1]
Such a ceremony took place in Minnesota on February 16, 2016, when 36 individuals became U.S. citizens. The new citizens came from 18 native countries and are among the approximately 12,000 U.S. citizens who will be naturalized this year in Minnesota. [2] Below is a photograph of some of the new citizens taken by Elizabeth Flores of the StarTribune.
One of the new citizens, Paw Da Eh, was born of Burmese parents in a Thai refugee camp and grew up without a country. Now 22-years old and a student at St. Paul College, he remarked,"I feel so happy, so good, so excited. I had no country, no rights. I can't describe what I feel right now."
Another new citizen, Modou Sowe, a 53-year-old from Gambia in West Africa, called America "a great country" and said it was the best place to live. "I feel very happy and proud to be an American. We have free speech. You can say whatever you believe. Not like where I come from."
U.S. District Judge Donovan Frank, who presided over the ceremony and swore in the new citizens, said, "We are a better country now than we were five minutes ago. We are better with you than without you." Frank added that three of his five daughters are naturalized citizens.
The new citizens also watched a televised recorded greeting from President Obama, and each received a packet with their citizenship certificate, copies of the nation's founding documents, a small American flag and a voter registration form. From attending other such ceremonies I assume the League of Women Voters Minnesota were there to assist the new citizens' filling out the voter registration forms.
[1] Minnesota Welcomes New U.S. Citizens (June 8, 2015). See also President Obama Welcomes New U.S. Citizens with Inspiring Challenge (Dec. 16, 2015); Naturalized U.S. Citizens, Important Contributors to U.S. Culture and Economy (June 7, 2015).
[2] Reinam, Newly sworn citizens are overjoyed to be Americans, StarTribune (Feb. 16, 2016).
Posted on February 18, 2016 Categories History, Law, Other countriesTags Burma (Myanmar), Gambia, Judge Donovan Frank, League of Women Voters Minnesota, naturalization, President Barack Obama, Thailand, U.S. citizenship, United States of America (USA), West Africa2 Comments on Another U.S. Citizenship Naturalization Ceremony
New York Times Calls for End of U.S. Program for Special Immigration Relief for Cuban Medical Personnel
On November 17th the New York Times published another editorial in its series urging changes in U.S. policies regarding Cuba.[1] Under the title "A Cuban Brain Drain, Courtesy of the U.S.," the editorial targets the U.S.'s Cuban Medical Professional Parole Program (CMPPP).
In order to understand the editorial, we first must look at the Cuban government's policy and program of sending Cuban medical personnel to other countries and then at the CMPPP's response to that Cuban program. Thereafter we will examine the Times' rationale for its recommendation along with the arguments for the Wall Street Journal's support of the CMPPP before we voice our conclusions.
Cuban Policy and Program of Sending Medical Personnel Abroad
According to a 2011 article in the Wall Street Journal, since 1973 Cuba has been sending medical 'brigades' to foreign countries, "helping it to win friends abroad, to back 'revolutionary' regimes in places like Ethiopia, Angola and Nicaragua, and perhaps most importantly, to earn hard currency. [The] Communist Party newspaper Granma reported in June [2010] that Cuba had 37,041 doctors and other health workers in 77 countries. Estimates of what Cuba earns from its medical teams—revenue that Cuba's central bank counts as 'exports of services'—vary widely, running to as much as $8 billion a year."
Again, according to the same Wall Street Journal article, Cuban doctors often desire such overseas assignments because they provide opportunities to earn significantly more money than at home. "When serving overseas, they get their Cuban salaries [of $25 per month], plus a $50-per-month stipend—both paid to their dependents while they're abroad. . . . In addition, they themselves receive overseas salaries—from $150 to $1,000 a month, depending on the mission." Many on-the-side also engage in private fee-for-service medical practice, including abortions. As a result, many of the Cubans are able to save substantial portions of their overseas income, which they often use to purchase items they could not have bought in Cuba like television sets and computers. Other desirable purchases are less expensive U.S. products that they can sell at a profit when they return to Cuba.
The Wall Street Journal article adds, "Since Hugo Chávez came to power in Venezuela in 1998, Cuba has been bartering its [medical personnel] . . . for Venezuelan oil. The U.S. Energy Department estimates that in [2010] Venezuela ships Cuba 90,000 barrels of oil a day—worth more than $2 billion a year at [then] current prices. In addition, Venezuela pays Cuba for medical teams sent to countries that Mr. Chávez considered part of Venezuela's "Bolivarian" sphere: Bolivia, Honduras, Ecuador and Paraguay."
As a result of this quid pro quo, Cuba has over 10,000 medical personnel serving in Venezuela. According to the Los Angeles Times just this past September, the working conditions in that country for the Cubans are horrible. Many of the clinics lack air-conditioning and functioning essential medical equipment. The Cubans' workload is often "crushing." Common crime is rampant, and the Cubans are often caught in the middle of Venezuela's civil unrest between followers of the late Hugo Chavez who want the Cubans to be there and more conservative forces that oppose the Cuban presence. As a result, as we will see below in the discussion of CMPPP, many Cuban medical personnel serving in Venezuela have chosen to defect to the U.S. under CMPP.
The Times editorial says, "This year, according to the state-run newspaper Granma, the government expects to make $8.2 billion from its medical workers overseas. The vast majority, just under 46,000, are posted in Latin America and the Caribbean. A few thousand are in 32 African countries."[2]
Facts Regarding CMPPP
A U.S. Department of State website says this program was announced on August 11, 2006, "by the Department of Homeland Security in conjunction with the Department of State, [as a program] that . . . would allow Cuban medical personnel conscripted to study or work in a third country under the direction of the Cuban government to enter the United States."[3]
Under the program "Cuban Medical Professionals" (i.e., health-care providers such as doctors, nurses, paramedics, physical therapists, lab technicians and sports trainers) are eligible if they meet the following criteria: (1) Cuban nationality or citizenship, (2) medical professional currently conscripted to study or work in a third country under the direction of the Government of Cuba, and (3) not otherwise ineligible for entry into the U.S. Spouses and/or minor children are also eligible for such parole.
According to the Times' editorial and the Wall Street Journal, the program "was the brainchild of Cuban-born Emilio González," a former U.S. Army colonel, the director of the U.S. Citizen & Immigration Services from 2006 to 2008 and a "staunchly anti-Castro exile." "He has characterized Cuba's policy of sending doctors and other health workers abroad as 'state-sponsored human trafficking.'" The Cuban doctors, he says, work directly for health authorities in other countries and have no say in their assignments.
The Times' editorial includes the following table showing the official numbers of CMPPP visas that have been issued:
Fiscal Year Number
Given the large numbers of Cuban medical personnel that are sent to Venezuela to help pay for Cuba's importation of Venezuelan oil, it is not surprising that the largest number of defections of Cubans has been from that country. As of the end of FY 2010, according to the previously mentioned Wall Street Journal article, the total defections by country were the following: Venezuela, 824; Colombia, 291; Bolivia, 60; Dominican Republic, 30; Ecuador, 28; Guatemala, 25; Brazil, 21; Namibia, 21; Peru, 19; and Guyana, 14.
Apparently the largest number of defections from Venezuela continues in light of the previously mentioned difficult working conditions. For FY 2011-2014 there were an additional 1,181 Cuban defections from Venezuela to the U.S. under CMPPP for a grand total of 2,005.[4] In addition, many of the Cubans in that country fear being seen going to the U.S. embassy in Caracas and instead fly to neighboring Colombia and apply there for CMPPP.
Another obvious reason for such defections under CMPP is the desire of the Cubans to earn more income in the U.S. I have met a Cuban neurologist whose wife was a skilled nurse, but who worked as a waitress in a nearby resort in order to earn more income and obtain tips in hard currencies. Like almost all Cubans, they did not earn enough to afford to have their own automobile and told me about Cuban television announcements that people who had an automobile or other vehicle had a special obligation to give rides to anyone in a white coat. Later while on a mission in Central America they defected to the U.S. under CMPPP. At least as I heard their story, they were merely looking for a way to improve their lives financially.
The Times' Reasons for Ending CMPPP
The editorial starts by noting, "Secretary of State John Kerry and the American ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, have praised the work of Cuban doctors dispatched to treat Ebola patients in West Africa. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently sent an official to a regional meeting the Cuban government convened in Havana to coordinate efforts to fight the disease. In Africa, Cuban doctors are working in American-built facilities.The epidemic has had the unexpected effect of injecting common sense into an unnecessarily poisonous relationship."
Therefore, says the Times, "it is incongruous for the [U.S.] to value the contributions of Cuban doctors who are sent by their government to assist in international crises like the 2010 Haiti earthquake [and the current Ebola crisis in West Africa] while working to subvert that government by making defection so easy [under CMPPP]."
Moreover, says the Times, "Cuba has been using its medical corps as the nation's main source of revenue and soft power for many years. The country has one of the highest numbers of doctors per capita in the world and offers medical scholarships to hundreds of disadvantaged international students each year, and some have been from the United States. According to Cuban government figures, more than 440,000 of the island's 11 million citizens are employed in the health sector."
The creation of CMPP was really motivated by a desire by anti-Castro Americans "to strike at the core of the island's primary diplomatic tool, while embarrassing the Castro regime." This is hardly a worthy motivation for the U.S.
For a poor country like Cuba, it makes sense to use one of its few economic strengths to bolster its foreign exchange earnings. Is this not an example of the concept of comparative advantage first formulated by classical economists Adam Smith and David Ricardo? The program also helps Cuba garner good will around the world for helping to improve the health of others. There is no legitimate reason for the U.S. to be opposed to such a program.
Adds the Times editorial, "American immigration policy should give priority to the world's neediest refugees and persecuted people. It should not be used to exacerbate the brain drain of an adversarial nation at a time when improved relations between the two countries are a worthwhile, realistic goal."
In 2006 when CMPPP was commenced, Cuban medical personnel could not obtain their government's permission to leave the island for any reason, and this was asserted as one of the reasons for the U.S.' creation of CMPPP. Last year, however, the Times says, "the Cuban government liberalized its travel policies, allowing most citizens, including dissidents, to leave the country freely. Doctors, who in the past faced stricter travel restrictions than ordinary Cubans, no longer do."
Moreover, the Times asserts, "The Cuban government has long regarded the medical defection program as a symbol of American duplicity. It undermines Cuba's ability to respond to humanitarian crises and does nothing to make the government in Havana more open or democratic. As long as this incoherent policy is in place, establishing a healthier relationship between the two nations will be harder."
Finally, according to the Times, "Many medical professionals, like a growing number of Cubans, will continue to want to move to the United States in search of new opportunities, and they have every right to do so. But inviting them to defect while on overseas tours is going too far."
The Wall Street Journal's Reasons for Supporting CMPPP
The Wall Street Journal's opinions on this subject are frequently uttered by its columnist on Latin American issues, Mary Anastasia O'Grady. The headline for her November 9, 2014, column makes clear her ultimate conclusion: "Cuba's Slave Trade in Doctors." She asserts that Cuba's policy and practice of sending some of its medical personnel to other countries is an "extensive human-trafficking racket now being run out of Havana."
Her argument centers on the Cuban government's being paid for these services by other countries like Venezuela or by international organizations like WHO and the government's paying its medical personnel only some of the Cuban government's revenues for their services. But this ignores the fact that any corporation or other business entity that sells services, pays the people who actually provide the service less than what is collected by the corporation because there are other cost factors that have to be covered plus a profit.
While she admits that "Cuban doctors are not forced at gunpoint to become expat slaves," she argues they "are given offers they cannot refuse."
When the CMPPP was created in 1966, Cuba's government prohibited its medical personnel from leaving the island, and one of CMPP's original rationales was providing a legitimate way to provide them with a way to leave Cuba and go elsewhere. Now, however, the Cuban government permits such citizens to leave. This change, in this blogger's opinion, eliminates the only arguably legitimate basis for CMPPP.
The allegation by some supporters of CMPP that Cuba's practice of sending medical teams to other countries is a form of human trafficking is absurd, in this blogger's opinion. The Cuban government has paid for all of the education of its medical personnel, and sending some of them to serve in foreign countries is a way for them to compensate the state for their free education. This Cuban practice is like the U.S. practice during some wars of having a selective service system and drafting some people to serve in our armed forces. Similarly we in the U.S. from time to time have debated having some kind of required national non-military service program for younger citizens without anyone arguing that it would be illegal human trafficking.
The U.S. State Department issues annual reports on the status of other countries' human trafficking, which the reports define as "umbrella terms for the act of recruiting, harboring, transporting, providing, or obtaining a person for compelled labor or commercial sex acts through the use of force, fraud, or coercion." This compelled service requirement uses "a number of different terms, including involuntary servitude, slavery or practices similar to slavery, debt bondage, and forced labor."
Although the latest U.S. report on this subject unjustly casts Cuba into the report's Tier 3 status,[5] as argued in a prior post, that report rejects the argument that Cuba is engaged in human trafficking when it sends its medical personnel to other countries. Here is what that report says on this issue:
"Some Cubans participating in the work missions have stated that the postings are voluntary, and positions are well paid compared to jobs within Cuba. Others have claimed that Cuban authorities have coerced them, including by withholding their passports and restricting their movement. Some medical professionals participating in the missions have been able to take advantage of U.S. visas or immigration benefits [under the CMPPP], applying for those benefits and arriving in the United States in possession of their passports—an indication that at least some medical professionals retain possession of their passports. Reports of coercion by Cuban authorities in this program do not appear to reflect a uniform government policy of coercion; however, information is lacking."
This blogger, therefore, supports the Times' calling for an end to CMPPP.
[1] Under the overall title of "Cuba: A New Start," the prior editorials (all of which are simultaneously published in Spanish) have urged overall reconciliation between the two countries, including ending the ending of the U.S. embargo of the island, the U.S. designation of Cuba as a "State Sponsor of Terrorism" and re-establishing normal diplomatic relations; U.S.-Cuba collaboration in combatting Ebola in West Africa; recognizing changing U.S. public opinion on relations with Cuba; U.S.-Cuba exchange of prisoners; and ending USAID covert programs to promote regime change in Cuba.
[2] Another issue unrelated to CMPPP is whether or not the services provided by the Cuban medical personnel meet the professional standards of the country where they serve. A South American ophthalmologist has told this blogger that she frequently has been called to fix problems created by Cuban doctors on such missions, but this blogger has no information about any comprehensive study of this issue.
[3] The program's stated statutory authorization is INA section 212(d)(5)(A), 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(A) (permits parole of an alien into the United States for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit); 8 CFR 212.5(c) & (d) (discretionary authority for granting parole), whereby the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) may exercise its discretionary parole authority to permit eligible Cuban nationals to come to the United States.
[4] This calculation is based upon a November 9, 2014, article in Venezuela's El Universal newspaper.
[5] Tier 3 is a U.S.-created category of countries that the U.S. asserts "do not fully comply with [a U.S. statute's] minimum standards and are not making significant efforts to do so".
Posted on November 23, 2014 Categories History, Law, Other countries, PoliticsTags Adam Smith, Angola, Bolivia, Brazil, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Colombia, comparative advantgage, Cuba, Cuban Medical Professional Parole Program (CMPPP), David Ricardo, Dominican Republic, ebola, Ecuador, Emilio González, Ethiopia, Granma, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hugo Chávez, human trafficking, John Kerry, Namibia, New York Times, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Samantha Power, U.S. Citizen & Immigration Services, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of State, United States of America (USA), Venezuela, Wall Street Journal, West Africa12 Comments on New York Times Calls for End of U.S. Program for Special Immigration Relief for Cuban Medical Personnel
New York Times Again Urges Normalization of U.S.-Cuba Relations
In its third editorial within the last two weeks, the New York Times on October 26th again called for normalization of U.S.-Cuba relations. This time the focus was what it perceived as shifting U.S. opinions on the subject. [1]
The starting point for the latest Times' call for normalization was its assertion that "younger members of the [Cuban] diaspora have staked out views that are increasingly in favor of deepening engagement with the island." In addition, "Several prominent Cuban-American businessmen who were once strong supporters of the embargo have changed their stance and become proponents of engagement. The pro-embargo lobby raises a fraction of the money it once did."
"That evolution [in public opinion of Cuban-Americans] has allowed a growing number of seasoned politicians to call the embargo a failure and argue that ending America's enmity with Cuba represents the best chance of encouraging positive change on the island."
"Charlie Crist, the former governor of Florida who is in a tight race for his old job, recently said he was interested in traveling to Cuba, an idea he later scrapped, blaming a busy schedule. Mr. Crist, however, has emphatically said he has come to see the embargo as a relic that must be shelved. Hillary Rodham Clinton wrote in her memoirs, and repeated in a recent interview, that she now favors repealing the embargo, which she called a failure, because it has 'propped up the Castros.'"
"In Florida, members of Congress have staked out positions on Cuba that once would have been considered political suicide. Representative Kathy Castor, a Democrat from Tampa, traveled to the island last year and made a strong appeal for an end to the sanctions, saying the United States was failing to capitalize on economic reforms underway on the island. She feels that far from hurting her politically, the stance has made her more popular among constituents, including Cuban-Americans, who want to play a role in the island's future."
"Even in Miami, where old-guard positions remain popular among older exiles, who are largely Republicans, there have been notable changes. In 2012, Joe Garcia became the first Cuban-American Democrat from Miami to be elected to the House. While he publicly supports the embargo, Mr. Garcia holds views significantly different from other South Florida members of Congress. For instance, he has called for clinical trials in the United States of a Cuban diabetes treatment that shows great promise. He also favors easing travel restrictions to the island."
Another measure of this changing public opinion is "President Obama now [receiving] . . .more correspondence from lawmakers who favor expanded ties than from those who want to keep robust sanctions."
As a result, "White House officials are deliberating over how much progress they might be able to make on President Obama's longstanding interest in expanding ties with Cuba," including his support for "repealing the embargo when he was running for the . . .[U.S.] Senate in 2004."
The major political barrier to progress on the issues that require congressional action, like ending the embargo, is "a small but passionate group of Cuban-American lawmakers [who are] adamant about maintaining the status quo. The most vocal defenders of the embargo are Senator Robert Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey; Senator Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida; and Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Representative Mario Diaz-Balart, both Miami Republicans.
The most important of these opponents to changing U.S. policies regarding Cuba is Senator Menendez, the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who could use that position to block Administration measures on other issues, including "confirmation of federal nominees in retaliation for further moves to ease the embargo."
Menendez' rhetoric about what he says are the evil ways of Cuba is intense. This April he "delivered a long, impassioned speech on the Senate floor, arguing that despite the myriad foreign policy crises in the world, Washington needed to focus on the abuses of 'a Stalinist police state' 90 miles away. He displayed photos of dissidents and warned that expanded travel by Americans to Cuba was enabling a despotic state." Mr. Menendez's loathing of the Cuban government has only increased because he believes the island's intelligence service sought to destroy his career by planting a fabricated story in the media suggesting that he had patronized underage prostitutes in the Dominican Republic."
The understandable personal reasons why some Cuban-Americans oppose normalization of U.S. relations with Cuba "should not continue to anchor American policy on a failed course that has strained Washington's relationship with allies in the hemisphere, prevented robust trade with the island and offered the Cuban government a justification for its failures."
[1] On October 13th the Times urged ending the U.S. designation of Cuba as a "State Sponsor of Terrorism," stopping the U.S. embargo of Cuba and restoring normal diplomatic relations with the island. On October 19th the Times recommended U.S. collaboration with Cuba in combatting Ebola in West Africa as an important step towards normalization.
Posted on October 26, 2014 Categories History, Law, Other countries, PoliticsTags Charlie Crist, Cuba, Cuban-Americans, ebola, Fidel Castro, Hillary Rodham Clinton, New York Times, President Barack Obama, Raul Castro, Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Representative Joe Garcia, Representative Mario Diaz-Balart, Senator Marco Rubio, Senator Robert Menendez, U.S. designation of Cuba as "State Sponsor of Terrorism", U.S. embargo of Cuba, West Africa6 Comments on New York Times Again Urges Normalization of U.S.-Cuba Relations
New York Times Commends Cuba for Fighting Ebola in West Africa and Again Urges U.S.-Cuba Normalization
In an October 19th editorial, titled "Cuba's Impressive Role on Ebola," the New York Times applauds Cuba for "having pledged to deploy hundreds of medical professionals to the front lines of the pandemic," for already having 165 medical professionals on the ground in West Africa and for standing "to play the most robust role among nations seeking to contain the virus." Cuba, therefore, "should be lauded and emulated."
In contrast, says the Times, the U.S. and several other wealthy countries only have pledged funds to fight the disease. "It is a shame that Washington, the chief donor in the fight against Ebola, is diplomatically estranged from Havana, the boldest contributor" and that "American and Cuban officials are not equipped to coordinate global efforts at a high level."
This most unfortunate situation "should serve as an urgent reminder to the Obama administration that the benefits of moving swiftly to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba far outweigh the drawbacks" as was argued in a prior Times editorial and emphasized in a recent post to this blog.
Under these circumstances, the U.S. should be ready, willing and able (a) to treat and transport any Cuban health workers in Africa who become infected; (b) to "commit to giving any sick Cuban access to the treatment center the Pentagon built in Monrovia [Liberia] and to assisting with evacuation." The Obama Administration, however, has "callously declined to say what, if any, support they would give [the Cubans]."[1]
The Times also notes that Fidel Castro in an October 19th essay in the Cuban newspaper, Granma, said that Cuba "will gladly cooperate with U.S. personnel in this task [of combatting Ebola], not in search of peace between these two states which have been adversaries for so many years, but rather, in any event, for World Peace, and objective which can and should be attempted." According to the Times, "[Fidel's] absolutely right." [2] His essay also commented on Cuba's hosting on October 20th the Extraordinary Summit of the ALBA-TCP on Ebola as discussed in another article in Granma.
[1] The failure of the Obama Administration to embrace Cuba's heroic contributions to the fight against Ebola unfortunately is consistent with the Administration's pathetic pseudo-rebuttal of the many arguments for normalization of U.S.-Cuba relations as discussed in a prior post.
[2] In an another recent essay Castro impliedly endorsed the New York Times editorial calling for normalization of U.S.-Cuba relations while he quoted virtually all of the editorial itself without any disagreement (with one exception), even to the editorial's criticism of the Cuban economy and its treatment of dissidents. See also Londoño, Still Pondering U.S.-Cuba Relations, Fidel Castro Responds, N.Y. Times (Oct. 14, 2014).
Posted on October 19, 2014 October 20, 2014 Categories History, Law, Other countries, PoliticsTags ALBA-TCP, Cuba, ebola, Fidel Castro, Granma, Liberia, New York Times, United States of America (USA), West Africa12 Comments on New York Times Commends Cuba for Fighting Ebola in West Africa and Again Urges U.S.-Cuba Normalization


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Tips for Expanding Business To India – Complete Guide
February 12, 2020 August 11, 2021 - by Swati Gauba - 1 Comment
HOW TO REACH OUT TO A DIGITAL SAVVY INDIAN CONSUMER
India has earned a reputation for itself as the leading destination in the world for international companies, to do business.
The thrilling digital revolution currently underway in India is hard to ignore.
Even in the smallest villages, thousands of Indians are buying their first smartphones so they too can connect with millions of others via the World Wide Web.
India's population is three times the size of America and all technology giants such as Google, Facebook, and Tik Tok have prioritized India as a key market.
It's hard to ignore doing business in a country with over 1.2 billion people.
A report by the Global Innovation Index also showed that there is a rapidly growing innovation and startup culture across the major markets.
This has resulted in an improvement in India's global GDP (Gross Domestic Product) ranking from eighty-one to fifty-two between 2015 & 2019.
India can also boast of an unparalleled youth demographic with about sixty-five percent of its population at 35 years old or under.
One half of the nation's population of 1.2 billion is below 25 years old.
By 2020, it is expected that, the age of the average Indian will be 29 years, compared to 37 for China and 48 for Japan
Additionally, the country has improved its reputation in terms of the risk posed to foreign investments and, by early 2019, had ranked third in the world with regard to attracting technological investment transactions.
Moreover, the Indian market has always been an attractive one for many multinational companies looking to expand their businesses to the Asian continent.
It has ranked among the world's largest ecommerce economies and the frequency of the transactions occurring across its mobile channels remains unparalleled among neighboring countries within the region.
Average Indian Consumer Profile
As of 2019, the Indian population was approximated to be 1.37 billion following the most recent UN data.
Mumbai is the country's largest city with about 12.5 million inhabitants. It is closely followed by Delhi which has more than 11 million residents.
In general, there are over 50 regions in India that have a population of one million.
Even though the number of people living in urban zones has risen over the past 20 years, approximately 67% of Indians still occupy the rural areas.
The country is well-known for its great variety of languages, religions, traditions, literacy levels, economic status, and social customs.
Therefore, there are numerous Indian consumer profiles.
In 2011, the country had a 74% literacy level – 62% for women and 82% for men. However, these figures vary a great deal from state to state.
The rising income is influencing the spending patterns of the average Indian consumer and is expected to propel digital consumption in the country in the next decade.
The General Business Outlook in India
Expanding business to India entails facing different languages and cultures, along with diverse business practices and etiquettes.
Yet, India's business landscape is set to develop in multiple areas thanks to several factors which include government stimulus, international trade, and a strong emerging economy.
With a burgeoning young populace that is aspiring to key leadership positions, technology has also been a major driving force for innovation and economic growth.
There are numerous business opportunities in multiple industrial sectors.
However, one must bear in mind that the 29 states in India each have different languages and customs.
The country cannot be perceived as a single market but rather as an interconnection of regional markets with varying business practices in each state.
While one can be easily be discouraged by hurdles, such as market regulatory hurdles, entrepreneurs can still navigate the Indian market successfully with a strategic roadmap.
A winning strategic plan that has long term benefit is the ideal foundation for any business; this will allow for application and adaption to the diverse and complex nature of the Indian economy.
This is a market that requires loads of endurance and long-term strategic planning to be successful.
Below, we have highlighted a few useful tips you should know before expanding business to India:
Examine the competition and understand customer preferences.
Seek objective advice from others who are already successful – look out for networking opportunities and get in touch with entrepreneurs who have already achieved their startup business goals in India.
Speak to agencies like us that help you navigate through the market with ease
As 2020 begins in earnest, most Indian tech start-up businesses are already looking forward to enjoying their best business year in recent times thanks to some of the highest amounts of investment capital flow ever recorded flowing into India's local ecosystem.
Jeff Bezos promises $1bn Amazon investment in India.
Since the beginning of 2019, $11.3 billion was raised by unlisted Indian tech startups – a significant increase from the $10.5 billion raised the previous year.
The fundraise witnessed last year was the largest figure for the country's local tech network in any year.
This further places India's burgeoning startup economy on the path of steady development.
Moreover, the Indian government has further liberalized its policies on foreign direct investment (FDI) for most economic sectors, which has opened up new avenues for global investors and corporate giants.
Tech Startups in India
With the addition of over 1,300 tech startups so far in 2019, India has strengthened its claim as the world's 3rd largest tech startup ecosystem.
The country now has between 8,900 and 9,300 tech startups in total.
The Indian economy also witnessed the inclusion of seven Unicorns (companies that have an over 1 billion USD valuation) by August this year taking the total number to twenty-four – the 3rd highest tally of Unicorns in the world for one country.
Digital Savvy Indian Consumers are Expected to Have a Higher Concentration of Wealth
The age bracket of the average digital-savvy Indian consumer is also tightly concentrated within 20-34, just like their global counterparts.
The digital-savvy Indian consumer typically performs more business activities online with their mobile devices instead of computers.
Reading customer reviews and utilizing mobile banking services have become rampant daily activities across digital channels.
The digital-savvy Indian consumer is also motivated by saving time & money. Brand variety is another essential factor for shopping online.
As per latest KPMG reports, typical Digital Consumers in 2030 would most likely be:
Non English speaking
Mobile phone users
From a developed rural are/non-urban setting
Willing to pay for content online
The fact remains that India will go through a massive evolution stage in the next decade.
India has brilliant scope to boost disposable incomes and improve logistical & digital infrastructure.
In the nearest future, India will witness improvements in high-value digital transactions across major industries like travel & hospitality, ticketed attractions, consumer food services, and apparels among other sectors.
Digital Brands and the Digital Savvy Indian Consumer
All over the world, and in India, digital technology has interrupted many aspects of customer lifestyle.
Thenumber of digital Indianconsumers is poised to increase over the next 10 years due to the accelerated digital transformation.
Most consumers now crave for more personalized experiences, resulting in companies continuously innovating and generally re-visiting their business models.
By successfully leveraging these disruptive technologies, today's brands can deliver the expected consumer experiences.
Smartphones have become the preferred medium for shopping online.
Purchases are largely influenced by user reviews and recommendations.
A large majority of Indians are increasingly accessing commercial activities via mobile channels.
Convenience, media tickets, delivery facilitates and grocery purchases are widespread weekly digital purchases made online.
The digital-savvy Indian consumer also places a higher value on best prices for their online shopping.
Harnessing third-party payment apps has become increasingly popular among Indians.
India had 451 million monthly active internet users as on March 31, 2019 (90 times the population of Singapore)
Approximately 139 million which represents 72% of urban Internet users use the internet every day
The population of female internet users in India is half that of the 258 million Indian male internet users
80% of the country's internet consumption is done via mobile smartphones which has led to the digital revolution being witnessed in the country today.
This revolution has affected every aspect of the Indian lifestyle from healthcare, fashion, and banking, booking tickets, eating out, and hookups that last a lifetime.
The Marketplace That Never Closes
As the tech-savvy Indian consumer – especially the modern 'Generation Z' and the 'Millennials' – consumes most of the digital information around them, this is the perfect opportunity for brands to leverage by creating varied consumer experiences online.
This is the best time to expand business to India even though it's a fragmented market with varied consumer profiles.
Lots of international brands have confronted the challenge and ventured into the Indian market.
Global brands such as North Face, Muji, and Armani Exchange are thriving in India thanks to the effective use of knowledge and information to create products designed to accommodate the average consumer's needs.
The cost of engaging and communicating with prospects on digital platforms is considerably lower in comparison to the other countries.
Those brands that continue to generate robust consumer experiences on digital platforms will always attract the attention of new customers by developing trust and gaining their loyalty.
Some Key Ingredients Needed For Expanding Business to India
Engaging Content: The content must be engaging, interactive, and bite-sized to allow the average Indian consumer to relate with the brand message and offer feedback and suggestions for improvement.
Global content/campaigns don't work well and winning brands usually adapt their communication to not just suit the sensibilities of the Indian subcontinent but take care of regional nuances.
Leveraging Technology: Scale can be achieved by embracing and adopting the latest technology. Technology enables personalization at scale and that's a winning ingredient for achieving success in a market with a lot of opportunities.
Consumer Insights: It is important to better understand Indian customers' shopping preferences and spending patterns.
This will better enable the business to produce tailor-made products corresponding to the customer's requirements and help develop the brand faster.
Strategic Partner – The market can be growth hacked through strategic partnership. It is essential to identify the right partner based on common shared values.
Growth Forecast
India's huge economy is still developing rapidly.
The country's business landscape is geared towards growth in multiple sectors thanks to numerous favorable factors which include government stimulus, international trade, along with an overall robust and developing economy.
Increased private investment, an increased level of infrastructural growth, along with an investment-friendly environment is expected to propel this growth.
With India's younger generation rising to leadership positions and driving technological growth and improvement, there are several opportunities for doing digital business in multiple economic sectors.
An expanding middle class coupled with rising incomes in India will bring about a significant shift in the spending and consumption habits of the average Indian consumer, presenting huge opportunities for expanding business to India.
For instance, because more Indians now use affordable smartphones, the total revenue from e-commerce activities is likely to grow beyond 120 billion USD in 2020 and this figure will continue to rise.
The timing is perfect for you to branch out into the Indian business ecosystem, while you can still have a pioneering advantage
Taggeddigital agency in indiaEXPANDING BUSINESS TO INDIAgrow business in Indiaindian startups
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Friends (NBC)
Young Netflix viewers are triggered.
They promised they'd be there for us. Instead they betrayed us. Our friends at Friends sat on a sofa of lies. They sipped lattes of hate. Knowing what we know now, the Central Perk logo was the swastika of its time. Could this show be any more white supremacist?
Having been given a new life on Netflix two decades after it debuted on NBC in 1994, Friends is being seen by a suspicious new generation with beady new eyes. Those eyes are more determined to find something to be offended by than anyone was in the 1990s, when the Paul Reveres fighting the political-correctness revolution were already warning you, "The idiocy is coming! The idiocy is coming!"
"Millennials watching Friends on Netflix shocked by storylines," ran the headline of a piece by Ilana Kaplan, writing from New York for the Independent. Examples of the kinds of things Millennials apparently find shocking: "New audiences claimed that Rachel would have been fired for sexual harassment because she hires an assistant who isn't qualified for the position because she wants to date him." Fat jokes — "Some girl ate Monica!" cried Joey (Matt LeBlanc) — are also now out of bounds, the Independent huffs.
Using the royal "we" for extra authority, Cosmopolitan writer Katie Stow says "the show is getting ripped to shreds for its 'problematic' content and — even as hardcore fans — we can't help but agree," scoring the sitcom for "chucking offensive and inappropriate hand grenades all over every episode." This must be the first time in recorded history that anyone compared Friends' cutesy banter to hand grenades.
Working up a Cory Booker level of manufactured anger, Buzzfeed calls Friends "F***ing Infuriating," citing among other transgressions the episode where Ross is taken aback when his son plays with a Barbie doll, the way everyone mocks Joey when he likes girly stuff, and "the homophobic and transphobic jokes about Chandler's dad," who was referred to on the show as a "drag queen," named Helena Handbasket, and played by Kathleen Turner.
"I have binge-watched Friends," says Lauren Smith of Thought Catalog in a particularly weepy confessional, adding, "I feel flooded with guilt afterwards" and "every episode leaves me cringing" because of the "blatant misogyny, homophobia, body-shaming, and — despite being set in the most racially diverse city in the world — the whitest cast you've ever seen."
In the Globe and Mail, John Doyle asks, "Is nostalgia for Friends all about white privilege?" citing a chat-show appearance in which Oprah Winfrey suggested there should be a black friend. "It didn't happen," Doyle says. "When Winfrey made the remark, Friends ranked third overall in the U.S. Nielsen ratings, yet sat at 111th out of 140 prime-time network shows in black households." The smoking gun!
Over at Salon, we learn that Chandler (Matthew Perry) "is the worst, and he's also pretty homophobic," while Slate calls Chandler's treatment of his father "appalling."
Let's break down these complaints.
‐Rachel was a workplace sexual harasser. That was a female-empowerment storyline suggesting women can turn the tables on men, both by being the boss and by using their power to seduce. Not that many men would complain about being sexually harassed by Jennifer Aniston.
‐The show was white-privileged/non-diverse/just plain racist. Almost nothing about Friends reflected reality — not the airplane-terminal size of the living room, not the setup-punchline dialogue, not the farcical situations — except for its homogeneity. New York City in the 1990s (and today) may be a diverse city, but go to any restaurant in Manhattan and report back on what you see. White people still mainly hang out with white people. Black people still mainly hang out with black people. Moreover, as on Friends, people further sort themselves out by education, age, and even job category: Twentysomething professionals from selective colleges mainly hang out with other twentysomething professionals from selective colleges. The show is called Friends, not Crash.
The (over)use of gay-panic jokes involving Chandler and Joey may be hackery, but it isn't hateful.
‐Friends is homophobic, or transphobic. The word "transphobic" barely existed in the 1990s because everyone thought transvestites were hilarious, including the transvestites themselves, who embraced the term "drag queen." The word "transgender" was barely used either, and the storyline about Chandler's dad was about the son's growing acceptance. If you can't see the humor in the situation, you wouldn't make much of a comedy writer. As for the "homophobia," the show's co-creator David Crane, who wrote many episodes, is gay. Did he hate himself? Did he employ writers who hated him? It's okay to make fun of your own tribe, but anyway what Friends did was find comedy in all the discomfort with homosexuality, just as black comics mine racism for comedy. The show won a GLAAD Media Award in 1996 for the way it handled the lesbian affair of Ross's (David Schwimmer's) ex-wife. The (over)use of gay-panic jokes involving Chandler and Joey may be hackery, but it isn't hateful.
‐Monica was fat-shamed. Please. Courteney Cox in a fat suit is comedy gold. And Monica's battle with her weight led to the single best joke in the history of Friends, when everyone looked at a prom video of Monica. "The camera adds ten pounds!" she said. Replied Chandler, "So how many cameras were actually on you?"
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From Danny: Served in USAF 51 months, 1 year in Viet Nam.
Retired Federal Civil Service with 40 years.
Wife is Gloria, married 50 years July 3rd.
Son Wes is retired Captain US Army.
Son Andy is a Reverend in the Church of the Nazarene.


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